Strawberry plant named ‘Rikas FNM’

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Rikas FNM’, which originate from seed produced by manual cross between ‘E64’ and ‘86N’. The new strawberry is a day-neutral with a long, conical, glossy and a light red color fruit. This new strawberry is characterized by a fruit of excellent quality, long shelf-life and high value of Brix degrees.

Botanical designation: Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne.

Varietal denomination: ‘Rikas FNM’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to, and the benefit of the Spanish Plant Breeder's Right (PBR) Application No. 20175320, filed on Jul. 26, 2017, titled “Oficina Española de Variedades Vegetales”, directed to the strawberry variety in the present application (named as ‘A13-27N-3’ in the PBR application), which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct day-neutral strawberry variety designated as ‘A13-27N-3’ by the breeder, and later named ‘Rikas FNM’.

‘Rikas FNM’ was created in a breeding program and is the result of a controlled-cross between the experimental short day female parent designated ‘E64’ and day-neutral experimental selection ‘86N’, made by the Inventor and was first fruited in Gibraleón, (Huelva, Spain) growing fields. From the beginning and during testing, the plant was designated ‘A13-27N-3’.

This new variety was asexually reproduced via runners (stolons) by the inventor at Gibraleón, Huelva, Spain. Asexual propagules from the original source have been tested in Gibraleón, Moguer and Palos de la Frontera (Huelva, Spain) growing fields and to a limited extent, grower fields in high elevation in Arevalo, Avila, Spain. The properties of this variety were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. This cultivar is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry variety. The varietal denomination of the new variety is ‘Rikas FNM’. Among the characteristics which are believed to distinguish the new variety from other varieties are a combination of traits which include the day length that is a day neutral; the plant growth habit it is upright and open with light density of foliage; the vigour of the plant is high, the inflorescence appears at level with the foliage; the fruit color is light red, the fruit is very sweet, conical-shaped, very firm, medium size fruit and long shelf-life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photographs and traits show typical specimens of the new cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions. The pictures were taken during in April in Huelva, Spain.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit including fruit at various stages of development.

FIG. 2 shows leaves of the plant with three leaflets.

FIG. 3 shows the upperside of several flowers.

FIG. 4 shows the whole fruit.

FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive day-neutral variety named ‘Rikas FNM’. ‘Rikas FNM’ produces fruit regardless of the day length when cultivated appropriately in temperate climates.

This cultivars is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the South of Spain (Huelva)

‘Rikas FNM’ is a vigorous plant, upright and open which facilitates the fruit harvesting. It produces long and mainly unbranched peduncles. ‘Rikas FNM’ produces a fruit of medium size, with a long conical shape, a light red color and a glossy fruit. The fruit has an excellent quality, the firmness is high and has a high value of Brix degrees. The fruit of ‘Rikas FNM’ has an excellent taste and appearance. Also noteworthy in the new variety ‘Rikas FNM’ is the great shelf-life that the fruit presents due to its firm flesh together with achenes level with the flesh and skin very resistant to bruising. ‘Rikas FNM’ produces a moderate amount of stolons which facilitates its multiplication.

‘Rikas FNM’ is moderately resistant to the most frequent diseases in Huelva (Spain). Specifically, it is moderately resistant to powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis), Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae) and Phytophthora crown rot (Phytophthora cactorum). ‘Rikas FNM’ is relatively tolerant to pests such as aphids and spider mites.

The results of production and Brix degrees of the variety ‘Rikas FNM’ compared to the variety ‘San Andreas’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,975) are shown below (Table 1). The results that are shown come from a trial located in Gibraleón (Huelva, Spain). Trial was a randomized complete block design with three repetitions and 40 plants per plot. The planting date was Oct. 20, 2016 and was cultivated until May 25, 2017. It was cultivated under standard conditions of strawberry cultivation in Huelva, Spain.

TABLE 1 Avg. 1st Early P. Variety Yield Quality Yield Brix Mildew Rikas FNM 1002 86 420 9, 7 3, 3 San Andreas 772 84 341 8, 8 3, 1 LSD(5%) 196 4 103 1, 0 0, 2 LSD(1%) 265 5 140 1, 3 0, 2 Table 1. Fruit production and Brix degrees data of the new variety ‘Rikas FNM’ and ‘San Andreas’. Each value is the result of the average of three repetitions of 40 plants. Avg. Yield, total commercial yield in grams by plant; 1st Quality, percentage of first class fruit; Early Yield, early production (before March 31) in grams by plant; brix, Brix degrees; P. Mildew, powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) resistance score, 5 the best. LSD(5%) and LSD(1%) Least Significant Difference between the means at P≤0.05 and 0.01 respectively.

The fruit of ‘Albion’ has clear differences with respect to the fruit of the new variety ‘Rikas FNM’. The variety ‘Albion’ shows a fruit with a darker red, a larger fruit and the more sunken achenes than the fruit of the variety ‘Rikas FNM’.

The following traits in combination distinguish strawberry variety ‘Rikas FNM’ from known strawberry varieties (“Table 1”, “Table 2. General”, “Table 3. Leaf”, “Table 4. Petiole, the bract, and the stipule”, “Table 5. Inflorescence”, “Table 6. Runner (Stolon)” and “Table 7. Fruit”). We use as standard variety for comparison ‘Albion’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,228). The traits were measured in Huelva (Spain), in April 2017. When we made the measurements, the plant was 6 months old. Fresh bare root plants were used for planting in October 2016. Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

TABLE 2 General Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Plant Growth Habit) Upright Semi-upright Day length Neutral Neutral Density of foliage Light Medium Plant vigor High Moderate Average plant height 20.6 cm Average plant spread 29.8 cm

TABLE 3 Leaf Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Terminal leaflet 1.07 1.20 length/width ratio Leaf average length 15.4 cm Leaf average width 16.8 cm Glossiness Medium Leaf color upper side 141A to 141B Leaf color lower side 138B to 139C Leaf apex shape Rounded Leaf base shape Obtuse Leaf blistering Medium Weak Terminal Leaflet margin Serrate to crenate Crenate

TABLE 4 Petiole, the bract, and the stipule Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Petiole length (cm) 19 17 Petiole diameter (cm) 0.33 0.42 Petiole pose of hairs Outwards Slightly Outwards Petiole color (color code) RHS: N144C RHS: N144A Stipule length (cm) 2.3 2.7 Stipule width (cm) 0.6 1.0 Stipule pubescence Weak Weak Stipule anthocyanin Absence Absence presence or absence Stipule color (color code) RHS: 149C RHS: N144C Pedicel color (color code) RHS: 144C RHS: 144A Attitude of hairs on Upwards Slightly Upwards petiole and pedicel

TABLE 5 Inflorescence Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Inflorescence Even Below position relative to foliage Petal spacing (e.g., overlapping Overlapping Touching etc.) Petal number per flower 5 6 Upper and lower Petal color RHS: RHS: (color code) NN155D NN155D Peduncle size Long Medium Flower diameter 2.4 cm 2.8 cm Calyx diameter relative to corolla Much larger Much larger Sepal shape (e.g., Elliptical, etc.) Elliptical Elliptical Sepal margin (e.g., entire, etc.) Entire Entire Sepal number per flower 12 10 Number of stamen 24 28 Anther color (color code) RHS: 2A RHS: 2A Time of flowering November November 30th 30th Shape and color of stigma Yellow Orange Color and length of style Yellow, Green 1.9 mm 1.2 mm Color of the ovary Green White Shape, size and color of anther Oval, 1.9 mm, Oval, 2.1 mm, Yellow Yellow Color and amount (scarce, Yellow Yellow moderate or abundant) of pollen Abundant Abundant Length and color of filament 3.3 mm, Green 4.2 mm, Green

TABLE 6 Runner (Stolon) Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Stolon anthocyanin (color RHS: N144D RHS: N144B code) Stolon pubescence Sparse Medium Stolon color (color code) RHS: 149B RHS: N144C

TABLE 7 Fruit Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Fruiting truss length 11 cm 7 cm Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Number of fruit per truss 3 6 Truss color RHS: 144A RHS: N144A Fruit length (cm) 4.2 4.2 Fruit width (cm) 3.6 3.6 Fruit skin color (color RHS: 33A RHS: 34A code) Fruit flesh color excluding RHS: 33C RHS: N25A core Fruit length/width ratio 1.2 1.2 Fruit weight (g) 28 28 Relative fruit size Medium Large Predominant fruit shape conical conical Position of achenes even below Achene color (color code) RHS: 9A RHS: 11A Diameter of calyx (cm) 3.6 3.9 Color of calyx (color code) RHS: 143A RHS: 141A Color of the flesh Light Red Medium Red Distribution of flesh color Uniform Some white center Sweetness (by brix) 9.3 7.4 Type of bearing day neutral day neutral Firmness Firm Medium Storage Longevity 10-12 days 8-10 days Fruit evenness of surface Even Even Width of band without Absent or very Absent or very achenes narrow narrow Adherence of calyx to Medium Medium fruit Color Core Light red Light red (RHS: 33B) (RHS: 23H) Cavity Size Small Medium 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant having the characteristics substantially as described and illustrated hcrcin. 